Ansaktiyoga - The Gospel of Selfless Action

This interpretation of Bhagwad Gita by Mahatma Gandhi is designed for those who have little or no literary equipment, who have neither the time nor the desire to read the Gita in the original and yet who stand in need of its support. Gandhiji claims that he has endeavored to reinforce the meaning of Gita inhis own conduct for an unbroken period of forty years. Gandhiji felt thatthe Gita was not a historical work but that, under the guise of physical warfare, it described the duel that perpetually went on in the hearts of mankind, and that physical warfare was brought in merely to make the description of internal duel more alluring. This preliminary intution of his became more confirmed onhis closer study of religion and the Gita. A study of Mahabharata gave him added confirmation. He does not regard Mahabharata as a historical work in the accepted sense. The Adiparva contains powerful evidence in support of Gandhiji by ascribing the chief actors superhuman or subhuman origin, the great Vyasa made short the history of kings and their peoples. The persons therein described may be historical, but the author of Mahabharata has used themmerely to drive home the religious theme.

Inthis great work of Mahabharata, Gita is the crown.

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Its second chapter, instead of teaching the rules of physical warfare, tells us how a perfected man is to be known. In the characterstics of the perfected man of the Gita, the Mahatma does not see any characterstics that correspond to physical warfare.

Self realization is the subject of Gita and this is the endeavor to reach the state of the supreme. Vysya did not write the Gita to establish this doctrine of Self realization but to show the most excellnt way of self realization. The matchless remedy for self realization is renunciation of fruits of action.

But how can one be free of action. The Gita has answered this in decisive language. "By desireless actiob, by renouncing fruits of action, by dedicating all activities to God i.e. by surrendering oneself to Him body and soul". In order that knowledge may not run riot, the author of Gita has insisted on Devotion accompanying it and has given it the first place. Knowledge without devotion will be like a misfire. The Gita says, have Devotion and Knowledge will follow. The Devotion is not mere lip service but it is wrestling with death.

He is a devotee who is jealous of none, who is a fount of mercy, who is without egotism, who is selfless, who treats alike happiness andmisery, who is ever forgiving and always contented, whose resolutions are firm, who is not afraid of others, who renounces all fruit - good or bad, who is not puffed up by praise, who does not go down under when others speak ill of him. Such devotion is inconsistent with the existence at the same time of strong attachments.

This is the unmistable teaching of Gita. HE WHO GIVES UP ACTION FALLS. HE WHO GIVES UP THE REWARD RISES. BUT RENUNCIATION OF THE FRUIT IN NO WAY MEANS INDIFFERENCE TO THE RESULT.

He who is ever brooding over result often loses nerve in the performance of his duty. The common belief is that religion is always opposed to material good. Gita has dispelled this delusion. It has drawn no line of demarcation between salvation and worldly pursuits. On the contrary, Vysya has shown that religion must rule ven our worldly pursuits.

Gandhiji felt that in trying to enforce ones life the central teaching of the Gita, one is bound to follow Ahimsa and Truth.. When there is no desire for fruit, thereis no temptation for untruth and violence.

A poet's meaning is limitless. Like man, the meaning of great writing suffers evolution. The sannyasa of Gita willnot tolerate complete cessation of all activity. The sannyasa of Gita is all work and yet no work. Gita is not a collection of do's and don'ts. Desire for fruit is the only universal prohibition. Desirelessness is obligatory.

The Mahatma writes that after forty years of unremittting endeavur to enforce the teaching of Gita in his ownlife, he has in all humility felt that perfect renunciation is impossible without perfect observance of ahimsa in every shape and form.